


Nightmares and the Welsh Dragon

by TheRicardianEmpress01



Category: Aneurin Barnard - Fandom, Richard III - Fandom, The White Queen (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-02-26 10:19:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18715045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRicardianEmpress01/pseuds/TheRicardianEmpress01
Summary: Richard III.King.Aneurin.Actor.They've something very much in common.One very pretty cherry-haired lady.So, what's the problem?Alot.





	1. Dreaming

**Author's Note:**

> Do not own any of the characters, other than the fictional ones(Valentina, Emily and a few others). 
> 
> Also, the Welsh in this story is straight up gibberish. Some is, some isn't. I know many who will read this, do not read or speak in Welsh. I do, however know some. I chose not to use it in pure form. And, by gods, if you wish to translate it, don't use Google. Some of it's correct, but most of the time? Just don't.
> 
> I do not intend any disrespect to Max, Rebecca, Faye or David in any way, shape or form.
> 
> And, I most definitely do not intend any disrespect to Aneurin. Or, King Richard III. Both are high on my loves list.
> 
> ~Loyaulte Me Lie~

Part One:

[](http://tinypic.com?ref=ajuy44)

“You wish to lie with me?” His gaze flitted over her, taking everything he saw into account.

“Yes.” 

He nodded.

“You may regret that decision later, my dear…”

She shook her head quickly. 

“Perhaps, you should think long and hard about this?”

Again, she shook her head. 

“I have, Your Grace.”

His gaze drifted to her face. After a moment, he turned away from her. 

He could get lost in those beautiful emerald eyes. 

Lost in her.

“Your Grace?”

Another moment ticked slowly by before he answered. 

“Please think about this…”

“I have. I know what this would mean, Your Grace. I have thought very hard about this...about you, and I have made my decision. I will follow my heart.”

He sighed. She could never say, that he had not tried to dissuade her from her course. That he had not tried to talk her out of allowing him to bed her.

No, she could never say that.

“Richard?”

He had tried.

She refused to back down.

He felt her fingertips brush over his skin.

“Richard? Your Grace?”

He looked at her for a brief moment...those eyes...he could get lost in them…

And that, was what bothered him the most.

He already was lost.

Oh how she would come to regret this.

She said his name again.

“Richard…”

He twitched as her fingers moved up his arm, along his shoulder,and finally brushing over his cheek.

“You will regret this, Valentina…”

“Richard? I don’t understand…”

He shook his head at her.

“I am so very sorry.”


	2. The Acting Role That Kept On Giving

Part Two:

[](http://tinypic.com?ref=cnrk4)

 

“Aneurin!”

He muttered and rolled over.

“Yo, little bro!”

He burrowed deeper into the blankets. 

Why couldn’t they just shut up and go away? He was having the loveliest dream.

“ANEURIN?!”

He grumbled into the pillow.

“Go away!”

For a second he thought they’d left, but after a short lived respite from their annoying attempts to wake him, they resumed in full force.

“Aneurin Barnard, you have ten seconds to get out of that bed!”

He rolled onto his back, dragging the pillow over his head.

“Well?”

Aneurin muttered something that sounded vaguely like get stuffed in Welsh.

“That was rude as fuck.”

He grinned beneath the pillow.

“Was it supposed to be nice?”

There was a slow, deep chuckle from the person he had yet to look at.

“Don’t be an arse, little bro.”

“Cael eich stwffio, big bro.”

“Say what?”

Aneurin laughed.

“I said, get stuffed.”

He could feel them staring at him.

“Welsh?”

“Ydw.” He giggled from underneath the pillow.

“I’m going to assume that was a yes? I don’t speak Welsh.”

“That’s pretty obvious, Max.” He pulled the pillow off his head, and tossed it on the floor. He opened his eyes to see a rather blurry face looming over him.

“Ugh, get out of my face, Max!”

Max backed up.

“I wouldn’t need to be in your face, little bro, if you’d get out of bed on time!”

Aneurin muttered again.

“Nid yw larwm hyd yn oed wedi diflannu eto!”

Max rolled his eyes at him.

“Excuse you?”

Aneurin grumbled loudly.

“I said, my alarm hasn’t even gone off yet! I set it for 10 am…”

“Yeah, so?”

“So, what time is it?”

Max looked at his mobile, grinning slightly.

“It’s just gone half 7.”

Aneurin’s eyes went wide at this.

“Oh my fucking god!” He yanked the comforter over his head. “Are you fucking serious, Max?!”

“Well yeah, we have to be at the makeup trailer by noon, costuming by 1:30 and on set by 2:45…”

“Fucking hell...it’s only gone half 7 in the fucking morning!”

“I know that! Why are you so damned grouchy?”

“You woke me up!”

Max shrugged.

“Yeah.”

“I was having such a good dream, too…”

“I just bet you were.” Max stifled a laugh.

Aneurin’s hand appeared from under the comforter. He stuck his middle finger up at Max.

“Don’t be a twat.”

Max eyed him curiously.

“Let me guess what this oh so good dream was about.”

Aneurin muttered.

“Dreaming about being Richard again?”

Another mutter.  
“Thought so. And, would the lady…”

Aneurin grunted.

“What makes you so sure there was a lady in the dream?”

Max grinned widely.

“When has this dream occurred without there being a lady in it?”

“Uh…”

“Yeah, thought you’d say that. So, was the lady in question, that pretty little cherry haired beauty from costuming?”

Aneurin moaned softly.

“Maybe.”

Max laughed.

“Get off, there’s no maybe about it! You’ve had the hots for her since day one!”

“I have not!”

“Oh yes, yes you have. Little bro, you’ve got it bad.” He tilted his head, and stared at the hidden form beneath the comforter. “What I don’t get is, why you dream of you being Richard with her.”

“I don’t either.”

“I mean, she is his great granddaughter twenty times removed…”

Aneurin moaned again.

“And, she is the twenty-third Duchess of Gloucester…”

A heavy whimper.

“Annnnnnddddd, she does think you’re pretty damn hot…”

“Shut up, Max!”

“Like, the drop dead gorgeous kind of hot.”

“I hate you.”

Max chuckled deeply.

“Nah, you don’t.” 

“Yes, yes I do.” Aneurin grumbled from beneath the comforter.

Max grinned slowly.

“If you hate me so much, little bro, why do you keep hanging about me? Don’t get me wrong, I do like having you always flitting about, grumbling at me in Welsh…”

“Shut it, Max…”

“And, you do make me look good…”

“Somebody has to make you look good. Rather hard for you on your own.” Aneurin snickered into the pillow.

Max feigned hurt at this.

“Ni, you hurt me right here!” He placed a hand against his chest. 

“Oh come on…”

Max shrugged.

“All the ladies think you’re cute and adorable.”

Aneurin grinned.

“Yeah, but they think you’re totally hot!”

“True as that is, there’s one who doesn’t.”

“Oh?”

“It’s true, Ni.” Max nodded sagely.

“What woman doesn’t think you’re hot?”

“Plenty of them don’t, you know. The Duchess, for instance…”

“Faye?”

Max stared at him in disbelief.

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah,I thought she liked you and all that?”

Max rolled his eyes upward.  
“For fuck’s sake, Barnard, not Faye! The Duchess!”

“Caroline?”

Max’s jaw dropped at this.

“Have you lost your damn mind?!”

Aneurin sat up, threw the comforter off, and shook his head. One long, stray lock of curly dark hair fell over his right eye. He brushed it back behind his ear, and shook his head again.

“According to the great Max Irons, I obviously have.”

“Well, I am the King…”

“So? And, I’m the Duke of Gloucester.”

“King trumps a Duke every time, Ni.”

Aneurin shook his head. 

“So, hate to intrude on your kingly posturing, but which duchess are you saying doesn’t think you’re hot? Is she blind?”

Max narrowed his eyes, tapping his bottom lip in deep concentration.

“The cherry haired beauty from costuming. Oh, damn it...what’s her name? Odd, but pretty name.”

“Uh…”

“Starts with a V…”

Aneurin stared at him.

“Valentina?”

Max smacked his forehead.

“Yes!”

“Uh-huh.”

“I heard from both Rebecca, and Faye, that I’m most certainly not her favourite York son.”

“She likes David’s George, then?”

Max rolled his eyes in exasperation.

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah.”

“Didn’t we just have this conversation?!”

“Er…” Aneurin brushed the stray lock of hair back behind his ear, yet again.

“Little bro, that girl, everytime she sees you, goes weird!”

“She goes weird?”

Max nodded.

“Rebecca told me, that before you show up, the girl is perfectly fine…”

“And?”

“And, the second you walk into costuming, she suddenly forgets how to function.”

“So?”

Max grabbed the pillow Aneurin had thrown on the floor, and hit him hard with it.

Aneurin grunted loudly.

“Beth mae’r uffen?!”

“Fuck you, too, Barnard.”

“It’s too early for this, Irons.”

Max hit him with the pillow a second time.

“Ei ddifrodi, bro!”

Max laughed.  
“It’s also, too damn early for you to be bitching at me in Welsh.”

Aneurin grumbled.

“Is it? Want that in English?”

“English is good…”

“Fuck off, bro.”

Max laughed again.

“Anyway, this Valentina from costuming goes completely weird when she sees you. And…” Max grinned slowly at Aneurin, “...apparently, you have been weirding out when you see her…”

“Have not!”

“No? Haven’t you been dreaming about her?”

Aneurin blushed a bright pink.

“I, er…”

Max took this hesitation as a green light to keep going.

“The dream, where you get to be Richard, youngest son of York, the sexiest son...and, if I recall correctly, and I do, this pretty little cherry haired beauty, named Valentina, gets to be your paramour…”

“O fy Nuw…”

“No? Not paramour...hmmm…”

“O fy Nuw, os gwelwch yn dda…”

“Hmmm...no, definitely not just a paramour in this dream…” Max chuckled.

“You have to rub this in, don’t you?”

Max nodded happily.

“She’s your mistress...no, something a bit more…”

“Dirwy! Mae gen i lefydd iddi! You want that in English?! I said, fine, I have the hots for her!” Aneurin’s face turned crimson at this. He slid himself down the mattress, pulling the comforter over his head. “Are you happy now?”

Max stared at the prone form beneath the comforter for a moment.

“Little bro, I already knew you had a massive crush on her. We all do.”

Aneurin sighed heavily.

“Everyone knows?”

“Yeah.”

“O fy duw…”

“Nothing to be ashamed of, little bro. Is what it is, you know? All you had to do, was admit it.”

Aneurin sighed again, but said nothing.

“And, now all you have to do, is actually ask her out!”

Aneurin sat up suddenly.

“I...wait, what?!”

“Ask her out. You know, on a date!”

“Ddim yn hollol!”

Max stared at him.

“Say what?”

Aneurin muttered.

“Absolutely not!”

“Why not? She likes you, you like her. So, why not ask her out on a date?”

“Mae’n credu fy mod yn rhyfedd.”

“Huh?”  
“She thinks I’m weird.”

Max rolled his eyes.

“What?”

Aneurin muttered again, nodding.

“She thinks I’m weird.”

“Says who?” Max inquired.

“Says her friend from costuming…”

“You can’t use that as an excuse not to at least, try to ask her out…”

“And, I overheard her actually say she thinks I’m weird.”

“Oh…” 

“And, I already tried to ask her out.”

Max grinned.

“I take it, that it didn’t go as planned?”

Aneurin shrugged.

“I wouldn’t know.”

“How wouldn’t you know?”

He shrugged again.

“Her friend ushered her out of the trailer before she could answer me.”

“Ah, well…”

“Laughing the entire way out the door…”

“I don’t think…”

Aneurin shrugged, looking everywhere but at Max.  
“Doesn’t matter.”

Max shook his head.

“It matters. Try again. Ask her when her friend isn’t around.”

Before Aneurin could protest this, there was a knock at the door. 

“Is everyone coming to my trailer?”

Max got up from the side of the bed.

“I don’t know. Pretty sure everyone else was still asleep when I came round here.”

He pushed the door to the trailer open, then stepped aside. 

“Morning, Max!”

Faye Marsay bounced into view.

“Morning, Ni!”

Aneurin grumbled tiredly.

“Morning, Faye.”

She stopped at the foot of the bed, eyed him curiously, then grinned at Max.

“I see you’ve had the conversation with him already?”

Max nodded.

“Yeah.”

“And, from the look on his face, it didn’t go so well?”

“How could you tell?”

Faye plopped down on the bed.

“Which part didn’t go off well?”

Max grinned, ignoring the hapless plea from Aneurin.  
“It would seem, that she thinks he’s weird.”

Faye laughed.

“Oh my, really?”

“Yes, really.”

“Who said that?”

Aneurin groaned.

“Both her and her friend, that’s who.”

This caused Faye to laugh harder.

“You’re kidding, right?”

“No, he’s not.” Max said.

She looked from one to the other.

“No.” She said finally.

“No? I think he knows what he heard, Faye. I mean, I don’t believe it, but he does.”

Aneurin nodded in agreement.

“I overheard it.”

Faye stared at him for a moment.

“I see. And, did you ask her out?”

“I tried.”

“And?”

Aneurin sighed.

“I don’t know. Never had an answer from her.”

Faye stared at him more.  
“Um...okay?” She glanced at Max questioningly.

He shrugged.

“The friend ushered her out of the make-up trailer before the girl could answer Ni.”

“Well that’s pretty shady.”

“I’ll say it is.” Max growled.

Faye turned her attention back to Aneurin. She looked him over thoughtfully, wondering how anyone could reject him. Aneurin was equal parts...introvertly shy, sweet, unassuming...and, at the same time, he could be terribly boastful, the ever eager extrovert with well, and Faye had to admit, yes, the equally weird side to him.

That might have been the actor in him. It might even, have been the theater, and musical, side of him. 

How much of that weirdness made someone not like him? Especially, and she knew this to be a fact, when that someone had a huge crush on him. 

Faye thought more about this, as she watched him. For all his blustering...for all his extroverted ways, the Welsh Dragon, was actually pretty cut up about this. He was acting as if he didn’t care what the girl...no, her name was Valentina...what Valentina thought of him. But, in truth, he did care. 

And, having gotten to know Valentina over the last few weeks of filming, her saying Aneurin was weird was, well, weird in itself. And, if she had said that he was, there had to be more to it.

Faye glanced back to Max.

“Yes, it is pretty shady. I’ve not been able to wrap my head round that friend. I don’t really think she’s even Valentina’s actual friend, per say.”

“How do you figure that, Faye?” 

“I can’t really say, but I feel as if the friend just attached herself to Valentina the day she arrived on set. For reasons that I believe you both understand.”

Max nodded.

“The big ones being, Valentina is the great granddaughter twenty times removed, of Richard the Third…”  
Faye nodded her head.

“Right. And, the other one?”

Aneurin piped up at this.

“She’s the twenty-third Duchess of Gloucester.”

“Nice of you to join us, Ni.” Faye quipped.

Aneurin grinned.

“Whatever.”

She rolled her eyes at him. He was being true to form. The lonely, soft-spoken guy with the shy, bright smile, and the snarling, blustering Welsh Dragon. Yes, very much true to form.

“As I said, I can’t for the life of me, understand the friend, though. I understand Valentina, she’s very easy to read…”

Aneurin stared at Faye.

“Really? How so?”

“Well, she’s rather shy, bookish, quite a history nerd. I guess, you could say, she’s pretty eclectic in her tastes.”

“Same in men, too?” Max inquired. He glanced at Ni, not sure what to expect. The younger man was staring intently at Faye, waiting for her to continue.

Faye shrugged slightly.

“I suppose you can say that. I mean, from what she’s said,” she looked at Ni for a moment, “her taste in men seems to fit a certain type.”

Max chuckled softly.

“What type would that be, exactly?”

“I think you know, Max.”

“Me? You’ve got to be kidding?!”

Faye shook her head.

“No, definitely not you. Not in any way, shape or form, does that include men such as yourself. No, her taste runs more towards someone like, well, Aneurin.”

Aneurin looked at her in disbelief. Max let out a loud whoop, and chucked a pillow at him.

“Told you, little bro! She has the hots for you! Knew it wasn’t me.”

“Yeah but…”

“Oh for fuck’s sake…”

“Max.” Faye shot a quick warning look at him.

“She thinks I’m weird! What makes either of you, believe she’d want to go out with me?”

“Ni, really now…”

“No, I’m serious. She thinks I’m weird. I’m not even good looking enough! Her friend made that very clear to me, as well as the fact that I’m Welsh.”

Faye shook her head slowly.

“Oh, I see. That’s certainly not what Valentina told me.”

Max looked dumbfounded by this.

“Ok, so let me see if I can get this all straight. The so-called friend says Valentina doesn’t like you because you’re not good looking enough, you’re weird, and because you’re fucking Welsh? What the shit, bro, that’s nonsense! Yet, Valentina has told Faye otherwise? I’m lost.”

Faye propped herself up on an elbow.

“Valentina saying she doesn’t like you for that last bit, would be tantamount to her saying she doesn’t like herself.”

“Huh?” They both said at the same time.

“Despite her being the great-granddaughter of an English king, an English Duchess, did either of you notice that she had an English accent?”

They shook their heads.  
“Thought not. Valentina MacIntyre is Scottish…”

“Oh.” Ni said softly.

“Yes, but no Scottish accent, either.” Max pointed out.

Faye nodded.

“No, and she wouldn’t have, now would she?”

“Ok, still lost, Faye.”

“I better explain, hadn’t I?”

“Yeah, you really should.” Ni tucked the pillow behind his head, and settled himself more comfortably on the bed.

“One wouldn’t have a British accent, be it Scottish, English or, Welsh, if one had been raised in America.”

“I thought she was British?” Max asked.

“Oh, she’s a mixed bag if you will...her father is Scottish and Welsh, he grew up in both Scotland and Wales. Her mother, is from England. Yorkshire to be exact. The company her father worked for, sent him to America when she was just about two years old. She lived there until she was ten, which was when her father died,so her mother moved them back to Yorkshire, to be closer to her parents. Soon as she turned eighteen, she went back to America.”

“Wow, how’d she end up back here again?” 

“Simple reason, really. She was homesick. She came back two years ago, got herself a position with BBC One’s Costuming Department, and put her pretty extraordinary talents to work. So, that brings us up to now...you know all those costumes we’re being kitted out in?”

Both Aneurin and Max nodded.

“Who do you think drew, designed and made many of them? Especially, the dresses.”

“Uh, Valentina?” Max said.

Aneurin nodded his agreement. The ever escaping lock of hair, bounced back over his eye. He didn’t bother brushing it away.

“Exactly! So, as I said, all of that brings us up to now. But, back to what I was saying about her background. She is Scottish, English and, Welsh. So, for her to even try and claim she doesn’t like Ni for that reason, is just plain nonsense.”

“That’s what I said, Faye.”

“Of course you did.” She nodded at Max. 

After a moment, she turned her attention back to Aneurin.

“I’m pretty sure, she actually likes you for that reason alone.”

“Because he’s Welsh?”Max grinned.

“Yes, among other reasons, but most definitely because he’s Welsh.”

Aneurin smiled thoughtfully.

“What about the other reasons she wouldn’t like me?”

“The not good looking enough is also nonsense. You walk into the makeup or costume trailers, and the second she sees you, she gets this dreamy look on her face.”

Max howled with laughter.

“Oh my god, little bro, you make her go over all funny!”

“And, she sighs quite a bit when she sees you. Oh, even more so, when she hears you…”

Max was nearly vibrating with laughter now.

“Ni makes her sigh!”

Aneurin’s face was a bright pink.

“Shut up!”

“Max…” Faye landed a hard punch to Max’s right arm. It was a warning for him to stop.

“Owwww, that hurt…” he rubbed his arm gingerly.

“It’ll hurt more, if you don’t stop making fun of him.”

Max rolled his eyes, then shook his head.

“Fine, have it your way.” He rubbed his arm again, grimacing comically. Faye ignored him.

“Anyway, we best leave him to shower and dress. If not, we’ll all be late to the ball.”

Aneurin and Max glanced at each other.

“What ball?” Max quiried.

“It was a joke.” They stared at her, clearly not getting it. “Oh nevermind!” She pushed herself off the bed, pulling a disgruntled Max up with her. “We’re going to be late, so let’s go, and let Ni get himself together.”

And with that, they were out the door. 

Aneurin sighed softly. He dove back beneath the comforter, and lay there for a long time thinking over everything Faye had said. 

Maybe he would ask her out again?

Maybe.

 

Richard shivered, despite the heavy fur blankets that covered the bed. For a long time, he lay thinking about her.

It only made him shiver more.

She was asleep next to him. He hooked an arm around her slight waist, pulling her to him…

She came to him willing…

She came…

Richard shivered again. Feeling this, she wrapped herself around him, holding him close to her naked body.

He sighed against her neck, breathing her in.

He murmured softly.

“I am sorry.”

She snuggled closer.

Richard shivered.

“I will never be enough.”


	3. The Welsh Dragon and His Jellybean

Part Three:  
[](http://tinypic.com?ref=357n8lx) Aneurin was sat on his trailer’s steps absently picking out a tune on a rather beat up guitar. His co-star, and friend, sat reading and humming along next to him. They had several hours to kill between takes, and as there wasn’t much else to do on set, this particular pastime seemed as good as any.

Rebecca looked up just as Faye and a certain pretty cherry haired girl came into view.  
They slowed as they went by.

“Oi, Rebecca!” Faye smiled, and hauled the long train of her dress over her arm. “Free concert hour?”

Rebecca laughed.

“Indeed so.”

The cherry haired girl smiled.

“Hey, Ni.”

Aneurin looked up.

“Hey, Valentina.” He stopped strumming and smiled at her. “How’s my Jellybean today?”

She grinned.

“I’m good. Rushed off my feet by this one, but otherwise, good.” She pointed at Faye, who looked appropriately put out by this.

“Oh thanks, Val.”

“Anytime, Faye.”

Rebecca pursed her lips at both of them and continued reading.

Aneurin had resumed his playing. 

“Just good? That implies you could be better.” He smiled brightly at Valentina.

“I’m sure I could be…”

“Mmmm, I might be able to help with that.”

Rebecca chuckled softly. Faye stuck a finger in her mouth, and mimed a gagging noise. 

Rebecca shook her head.

The girl eyed him thoughtfully.

“Oh? How so?”  
Aneurin shrugged, ignoring Faye who was now making kissing noises at them.

“Well, come over here and find out.” 

He flipped Faye his middle finger.

“Oi Barnard! How rude!”

Valentina wandered over to where he was sat, and stood in front of him. Pushing the guitar to one side, he hooked an arm around her waist, pulling her to him. She slipped her arms around his neck, and waited.

He kissed her slowly and deeply. After a long moment, he pulled back and smiled warmly at her.

“I hope that has made my Jellybean feel better?”

Her fingers played with his hair as she smiled back at him.

“I do believe it has…”

Aneurin nodded. He leaned forward, his lips brushing lightly over hers.

Faye made a louder gagging noise.

“Get a flippin’ room!”

Rebecca laughed.

“I think Faye would like to go, Val.”

Valentina nodded, but didn’t move from Aneurin’s embrace.

“Yeah, I suppose she does.” 

“Better do as commanded, Bean.” He was reluctant to let her out of his arms, but knew she needed to go.

“Yeah, this dress isn’t going to fix itself, Val.” Faye flapped the long velvet train at her.

Valentina grinned.

“I doubt it, but it would be nice if it could.” She looked back at Aneurin. She studied his face, then slammed her mouth firmly over his, kissing him deeply. He returned the kiss with equal passion.

“Oi, didn’t I tell you to get a damn room?!” She rolled her eyes at them.

They finally broke apart, both breathless and sated all at once. Valentina started to move from his embrace, but quickly leaned into him.

“Tonight, my Welsh Dragon.” She whispered softly.

Aneurin let his head rest against hers.

“Yes.” He murmured. “Tonight, I am yours.”

He felt her quiver at this. She sighed softly as she peppered the arch of his neck with soft kisses.

Rebecca watched this exchange, smiled knowingly, and went on reading.

It was about damn time these two danced the oldest dance...they’d waited long enough.

“Oh my fuckin’ god!” Faye waved the dress train. ”Can we go now?!”

Aneurin released Valentina from his embrace, turned her to face Faye, and leaned his chin on her shoulder. He chuckled slowly.

“I think this Neville is near on a meltdown. She looks rather tired, don’t you think so, Your Grace?”

Rebecca looked at Faye, narrowing her eyes a bit.

“Hm, yes I’d say she does.”

Faye’s mouth came open.

“I don’t...fuck both of you! Let’s go, Val!”

All three laughed.

Faye stared at them.

“All three of you are such children!”  
Rebecca laughed.

“These two, yes.” she nodded at Valentina and Aneurin. “But, me? Not so much.”

Faye shook her head.

“I wasn’t referring to your age, Bec. Mentally all of you suck.”

Valentina giggled and stuck her tongue out at Faye. 

Aneurin nudged her.

“Bean, it’s not nice to bait Lady Neville,” he buried his face against the crook of her neck, stifling a laugh. “Especially, when you can see how tired she is.”

Faye’s face turned crimson.

“See what I mean?! Children!”

“You two stop.” Rebecca closed her book with a snap. “You best get on, Val. I’m sure that dress is going to take quite some time to mend.” 

She stood up, rearranged her own dress, and came down the steps. She stopped beside Faye, patting the younger woman on the shoulder. She leaned in close, smiling.

“Besides, those two have yet to dance the dance, so that turns them a bit wonky. Leave it until tomorrow…” she glanced back at Valentina and Aneurin, who had gone back to kissing. She smiled again. “They should be quite different by then.”

Faye groaned.

“Seriously? I did not need to know this information, Bec.” She made a loud gagging noise, followed by a snort of laughter.

Rebecca nodded, patting Faye’s shoulder again.

“The Welsh Dragon needs to be honoured. They’ve so far, not even attempted to be intimate with each other.” She glanced at them again. “They’ve wanted to, that is obvious, but what has stopped them?”

Faye looked at them thoughtfully. The frustration she had been feeling melted away quickly.

She grabbed Rebecca’s arm, pulling her along so that the two lovers would not be able to overhear the conversation.

Rebecca eyed Faye curiously.

“Do you know something I don’t?”

Faye nodded towards Valentina and Aneurin.

“You could say that.”

Rebecca tilted her head.

“Well?”

“Well, I don’t know for certain,and you can’t quote me on this, but…” her blue eyes narrowed slightly.

“But what, Faye?”

“I have a feeling that annoying Pest of Valentina’s is responsible for them not being intimate yet.”

“You’re joking?”

Faye shook her head.

“Not in the slightest. I’m surprised the Pest isn’t here now, inserting herself between them.” Faye snarled softly.

Rebecca nodded knowingly.

“So am I. Just this morning, they were sat by themselves having breakfast, when Pest appeared out of nowhere, and all but sat between them. When Ni got up to leave, he leaned in to kiss Val...well, Pest stuck her hand in his face to prevent it.”

Faye grumbled under her breath.

“How did Ni take that?”

“He pushed the Pest’s hand out of the way, said something in Welsh that I took as nothing nice, and kissed Val. The Pest just glared daggers at him for that.”

Faye grinned.  
“ I don’t understand what the Pest has against Ni being with Val.”

“That makes two of us.” Rebecca watched the two lovers for a moment.

What did the Pest have against their relationship?

Jealousy?

Maybe.

Or, maybe she just disliked Ni altogether?

But why?

She watched them a bit longer, then turned to Faye.

“Whatever the reason, the Pest needs to be put in her place. She needs to leave them be, so they can get on with their lives. I’m tired of seeing them both looking over their shoulders, waiting for her to pop up.”

Faye nodded in agreement.

“Same. It’s gotten pretty old real fast.”

“Yes indeed. Especially, being how long it took to finally get them together.”

“Damn right.” 

“Ni was playing pretty hard to get, and Val was following him round like a love sick, lost puppy!”

Rebecca laughed softly.

“Also true, on both accounts. Not to mention, all the nonsense the Pest was filling their heads with.”

“How Val thought Ni was weird…”

“That’s still true, Val does think he’s weird. But, she likes that about him.”

“And, that his being Welsh was a bad thing…”

“Nonsense, pure and simple.” Rebecca glanced again at the young couple. They looked up, smiled and waved at her. She smiled back and waved.  
“Oh, and let’s not forget, the Pest telling Ni, that Val didn’t find him attractive enough…”

“Again, utter nonsense.”

“That Val preferred Max, or David, over him.”

“Much to Max and David’s surprise, I’m sure.”

“Right! Max knew better. He thinks the whole situation is shady. And, David didn’t care one way or the other about it. Though, he has threatened to drown the Pest if she hurts Ni.”

“Ah, the loyal York Brothers!” Rebecca snorted with laughter.

“And, Val?” Faye asked.

Rebecca again, looked at the young couple. They were standing close together. Aneurin had one arm around her waist, holding her tightly to him. He leaned in, kissed her lightly, and dipped her back. She grabbed onto his shoulders, laughing as she did so. He pulled her to him, both arms wrapped about her…

Rebecca’s eyes narrowed.

Where had she seen that before?

Faye, she could see out of the corner of her eye, was fussing with the train of her dress.

Oh…

Richard, Duke of Gloucester.

Anne Neville.

Except, Valentina was in his arms…

Not Anne.

Not that particular Duchess.

Rebecca shook her head slightly.

Richard.

Aneurin.  
Anne.

Valentina.

Oh…

It was an a-ha moment like none other for Rebecca. She grabbed Faye by the arm, swinging her around to face her.

“Get off, Bec!”

“Shhhh!!! You and I need to talk.”

“I thought we already were…?”

Rebecca shook her head quickly.

“Not now! Later, when they are elsewhere.”

“Wait, what? What’s so hush hush, that we need to talk about it when Val and Ni are not around?”

Rebecca rolled her eyes at Faye in frustration.

“I do believe, I may have figured it all out…”

“Oh?”

“About why the Pest hates Ni so much, and why she wants to keep Val away from him. And why, Aneurin was both desperate, and reluctant, to be with Valentina”

“Really?”

Rebecca nodded.

“But, we’ll need to talk about it later…” She moved away from Faye, just as Valentina and Aneurin came up to them. “Everything good with you two?”

They both smiled, nodding.

“Very good.” Ni hugged Val close. “Made plans for a romantic evening later.”

Rebecca smiled warmly at them.  
“Good, you deserve it.”

They grinned sheepishly.

Faye waved the train of her dress at Val, stopping what she knew would most certainly happen next. 

Something she didn’t need to know about. As happy as she was for them, she didn’t need to hear the details of their impending romantic, and most likely, intimate, evening.

She waved it again. Val shook her head, laughing.

“Alright Faye, I get the point.”

“Oh thank god…”

Aneurin tugged her a little closer, brushing his lips against hers. He didn’t want to let her go.

“Suppose I better let you get back to work…”

Val sighed against his chest.

“And, allow Faye to use and abuse you…”

“I don’t do that!” Faye protested.

Ni flipped her the finger.

“Rude!” 

“She’s not so bad, Ni.” Val laughed. “Unless, she’s in character, then I just want to whack her.”

Faye rolled her eyes.

“Can we just get on?”

Val nodded.

“Fine.” She kissed Aneurin quickly. “Until tonight, my love.”

He kissed her back.

“Mmm, yes.” He squeezed her tightly to him, then released her to Faye. “I better get myself off to wherever I’m to be at this time. I don’t suppose, any of you know where that is exactly?”

Rebecca nodded her head at him.

“Top of the stairs, royal apartments, with Max and David.”

“Again? Didn’t we just have at that last block?”

“Yes, but you know how it is. Something wasn’t perfected, and it’s to be done over.”

Aneurin groaned.

“I thought it was good. What couldn’t have been perfect about it?”

“Max’s hair was probably out of place.” Faye giggled.

Aneurin stared at Faye, then laughed.

“Wouldn’t doubt that at all.”

Valentina stifled a snort of laughter.

“I thought we were getting on, Faye? Your next block of filming is coming up soon, and I need to get on with mending that train.”

Faye nodded.

“We could’ve been mending this before now, but oh no, you just had to lock lips with lover boy here. Don’t blame me, if I’m late to the ball!”

“Er, well yes...let’s go then, can’t have you late for the, er, ball.” Val glanced at both Rebecca and Aneurin. “Whatever ball that is…”

“They didn’t have balls in the 15th century. They had court dancing, masques and things like that. But balls? Not in the modern sense of the word.” Rebecca pointed out.

Faye had started to pull Valentina away from them, the long train of the velvet dress thrown over her head.

“Ok thanks for the historical information, but we’re off. See you later!” She pushed Val ahead of her, grumbling about balls.

When the two girls had been lost from view, Rebecca turned to Aneurin, who was messing with his mobile, and a tangled mess of earbuds.

She watched him thoughtfully.

Had she figured it all out? Was she crazy for thinking that she had?

After cursing his earbuds, Aneurin looked up at Rebecca and smiled. He placed one untangled earbud in his ear, while the other dangled precariously.

“Well, I’m off.”

“Good luck.”

“You, too.”

As she watched him wander off the way the girls had gone, Rebecca watched him carefully. He was kitted out as Richard, Duke of Gloucester, and as always, he looked absolutely beautiful. They certainly picked the right young actor to play this version of Richard, whereas the ones who had portrayed him before, all looked rather frumpy and dull. Aneurin brought a freshness to the youngest York brother, as well as extraordinary good looks. She had no doubt whatsoever, that once he was seen on televisions, women everywhere, as well as a few men, would suddenly have the hots for this particular Richard. 

They would also, have the hots for Aneurin, himself.

Her thoughts turned to other matters, but only briefly. She kept returning to Aneurin and Valentina.

She sighed heavily, hauled the hem of her dress up, and started off. It wouldn’t do for her to keep thinking about this. Nothing to be done about it now, at least, not until she had a chance to talk to Faye later.

And, hopefully, the both of them together could figure out what to do about the Pest.


	4. The Welsh Dragon

Part Four:

[](http://tinypic.com?ref=2ex4sps)

[](http://tinypic.com?ref=330wzk5)

The filming had been stopped abruptly due to a camera malfunction, and this left all the actors to mill about with time on their hands.

David, as George, Duke of Clarence, and middle York brother, had wandered off as fast he possibly could. Where he had gone off to, was anyone’s guess.

This left Max and Aneurin to amuse themselves. They had nicked a deck of playing cards from one of the trailers, and had just started a game of twenty-one, when Valentina hurried up to where they were sat.

She had clearly run all the way here.

“Bean?” Aneurin held a hand out to steady her.

She was clutching her side, and attempting to catch her breath.

“Gimme a sec…” 

Max looked at Aneurin.

“She going to make it?”

“I hope so.”

Valentina grimaced at them.

“I’ll be fine...just gimme a second to catch my breath.” She took a deep breath, then released it. The red of her face had faded to her normal pale.

They continued playing.

“Sooooo, what had you running all the way up here, Val?” Max grabbed a card from the deck, looked at it in dismay, and placed it with the cards in his hand. “Something wrong?”

Valentina shook her head quickly. She was still clutching her side.

“Not wrong, per say. They want the both of you down in costuming…”

Max drew another card. Again, he looked at in dismay.

“Why?”

“I’m assuming, it would be for a change of costume.”

Aneurin drew two cards, stared at them, and threw them down on the pile of discarded cards. He shook his head slowly, which sent the always escaping lock of long hair falling over his right eye.

“These cards are terrible, Max.” He held his hand out for Max’s cards. “I’ll reshuffle them.”

“And?” Max settled back against wall.

“And, hope for the best.” 

Valentina chuckled as she watched Aneurin shuffle the deck of cards.

“Ni, neither of you are going to have any hope when it comes to card playing.”

He stopped shuffling and looked up at her. He held her gaze for a long moment, then grinned slowly.

“Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!” He growled.

“Oh!” Valentina’s hand went to her mouth.

Max stared from one to the other in disbelief.

“The fuck was that?”

“Grrrrrrrrrrrrr!” Aneurin growled again. 

Valentina’s eyes widened at the second growl. Her normally pale face was now tinged a bright pink.

She reached out to grab the deck from Aneurin, but found herself sat across his lap,instead.

“Grrrrrr, bah, rawr!!” Ni nuzzled her neck. She twittered happily.

Max stared at them.

“Again, the fuck was that?”

Valentina squeaked softly as Ni nipped at her neck.

“Oh, uh...ddraig...ooooohhh!” She squeaked again.

Max rubbed his face.

“The dragon? That was a dragon?”

“Yes!” Valentina squeaked out the word.

“Really? Sounded more like a sick Hoover, then it did a dragon.”

“Shut it, Irons.”

“You sounded like a Hoover, Ni.” Max shifted himself a bit. 

Aneurin had been sucking gently at the skin of her neck, but had switched to sucking just a bit harder. A soft groan came out of her.

“That’ll leave some marks, little bro.”

“Uh-huh.” was all he said.  
Valentina was sighing and cooing at Aneurin, which encouraged him to continue.

“The Welsh Dragon is marking his territory…” Val pointed out.

“Property.” Max corrected.

“That too.” Ni said before slamming his mouth over Valentina’s. They kissed for a bit before pulling away.

Again, both breathless and sated,at the same time.

“Oh look, two kids in love.” Max picked up the cards, shuffled them, then began to flip them over one by one. He shook his head at each as he flipped them.

“God this deck is horrible.” He looked up at them. “Kids in love, knew this would happen months ago.”

Aneurin shifted his gaze from the still twittering girl on his lap to Max. He grinned faintly.

“Get a new deck, then.” He buried his face against Valentina’s neck again, inhaling deeply. “And, what exactly did you mean by what you said?”

“Huh?” Max stared at the deck in disappointment.

Aneurin tilted his head slightly.

“You knew this would happen months ago. What did you mean by that?”

Max shrugged.

“Just knew it would.”

Valentina studied him thoughtfully.

“Uh-huh.”

“No, I did. I don’t know how anyone couldn’t know that it would happen…”

“Yeah, still…”

“Might have avoided each other like you had the plague…”

“Not funny, Irons.” Aneurin bounced one leg a couple times, nearly sending Valentina off the other side.”

“And, there was the Pest always hanging about, getting in the way…”

Valentina cringed.

“Don’t bring her up, Max.”

Aneurin noticed her cringe, and tightened his arm around her.

“I wish she’d just leave us alone. Can’t do anything without her popping up out of nowhere at us. We were at breakfast this morning, there she was. Went for a walk after the first block was finished, guess who was following us?”

Max narrowed his eyes.

“The Pest.”

“Yeah. Followed us all the way round to the pond at the bottom of the hill, then continued to follow us all the way back to my trailer. When I walked Bean to the costume trailer, there she was right behind us the whole way. Getting on my last nerve.”

Aneurin squeezed Valentina’s hand in his. She leaned in and kissed him lightly.

Max looked about him, then back at the pair.

“I’m surprised she hasn’t made an appearance yet.”

“Don’t go there, Max. Everytime someone mentions her, she shows up!”

“Well yeah, that’s true.” Max pushed the deck of cards around absently before continuing. “Seems rather obsessed with the two of you.”

Aneurin picked up the top card, turned over, and smiled at his girlfriend.

“Look, the Queen of Hearts.”

She nodded.

“Who might that Queen be, then?”

“You, of course. Who else would be my queen?”  
“Faye, duh.”

Aneurin laughed.

“Only on camera, Bean.”

Max grinned.

“So, Your Graces, back to the matter at hand.”

Aneurin looked at Max.

“Which would be?”

“Why the Pest is so damn obsessed with the two of you, and why she keeps trying to derail your relationship every chance she gets.”

They both rolled their eyes at this.

“She was obsessed with me first. Only became obsessed with Ni, afterwards.” Valentina said quietly. 

“Rather hates me, would be more like it. Not sure if she’s obsessed with me because I’m in this show, or she’s obsessed with me because she hates me.”

Max shrugged.

“Could be both, actually.” He had gone back to shuffling the deck of cards. Once satisfied with it, he flip the top card over. He grinned slowly.

“King of Spades.”

“Grrrrr.” Aneurin snarled.

“Wrong king, Ni?”

“Is what it is, Max. I am king, regardless.”

“So am I.”

“Now there’s the wrong king.” Aneurin chuckled.

“Shots fired.” Max returned the card to the deck.  
“Brenin y dreigiau.” Valentina murmured softly to Aneurin.

“Ydw, a fi yw dy ddraig, Bean.”

Max rolled his eyes at them.

“Anyway…”

Aneurin’s fingers danced along Valentina’s cheek. For a moment, he said nothing, his light blue eyes taking her in.

“Yes, the Pest…” 

Max shrugged.

“Seems Faye and Rebecca are on a mission.”

“To do what?” Aneurin’s fingers moved down along Valentina’s shoulder. She sighed softly.

“To put the Pest in her place.” Max sat upright suddenly, his demeanor turned dark. “And speak of the fucking devil…”

Aneurin turned to look at what made Max’s mood change.

“Son of a…” He pushed Valentina up from his lap, stood up and grabbed her by the hand. Just as Max’s had done, Aneurin’s mood turned dark.

“We need to go.” He muttered, pulling her along beside him.

“But…Aneurin?” She looked confused. It was clear that she hadn’t yet seen the Pest coming towards them. “Beth sy’n bod, draig?”

He glanced at Max, shook his head, and pulled her along faster.

“We need to go.” He repeated, glancing quickly over his shoulder.

“Why? What’s wrong?” She tugged at his hand.

“Now!” He snarled at her. “Do as I say, Valentina…”

She stopped abruptly, pulling her hand from his. She stared at him.

“Aneurin?”  
Even Max, who had finally caught up with them, stopped and stared at Aneurin as if he’d never seen him before.

This wasn’t like him at all.

This was like someone altogether different. 

Someone they only saw when filming.

And just as with Rebecca, the a-ha! moment was huge.

Richard.

Max narrowed his eyes at Aneurin.

“Tap that crazy down, little bro.” Max said slowly.

Valentina looked at both them.

“Aneurin? Ddraig?” Aneurin growled softly under his breath. When he didn’t answer her, she turned to Max. “What do you mean by tap that crazy down?”

Max looked from her to Aneurin and back again.

“Richard.” His gaze shifted back to an angry looking Aneurin. “It’s Richard again, isn’t it, Ni?”

Valentina stared at them.

They’d both gone batty that’s all there was to it.

“Richard?”

“Yes.” Aneurin, for the first time since they had come together, moved away from her as far as he could get. 

It hurt him deeply…

But…

“Richard, who?”

“Duke of Gloucester. King Richard.” Max nodded at Aneurin, who was looking everywhere but at them. Max could see the Pest had stopped, and was watching them intently.

Gods, how he hated her.

Valentina continued to stare at them.

Then, she laughed.

Aneurin looked at her finally, a look of sadness had quickly replaced the anger. He shook his head at her, and stormed off.

The dragon’s wings had been broken.


End file.
